Mechanical tamp.



w. n. CRANE.

MECHANICAL TAMP. (Application led Mar. 16, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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` guide-holder K.

NITED STATES WALTER R. cRANE, or

LAWRENCE, K ANsAs.

M EoHANlcAL TAM P.

vSPECIIIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 685,261, dated Oei-,Obei- 29, 1901.

i Bpplication tiled March 16, 1901. Serial No. 51,558. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

K Be it known that I, WALTER R. CRANE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lawrence, in the county of Douglas and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful 1mprovenients in Mechanical Tamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mechanical tamping devices, the mechanical appliance taking the place of the clay or other like substance with which charges of an explosive are ordinarily tamped or held in place.

The object of my invention is not only to economize in cost, but to eliminate, or at least reduce, the factor of danger that is so much a part of the tampng process. I attain these objects by the mechanism described, and illustrated in the `accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section with the Wedges in their primary position. Fig. 2 is a side View showing the wedges forced together as if fillinga drilled hole. Fig. 3 is a detail of the wedge D. Fig. 4 is an end view of same, showing the position of the spring D" and of the cored eye-pivot D"; and Fig. 5 is a broken plan View of the stud A, showing the connection thereto of the gas-pipe 4Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several Views. A

The standard is preferably made of caststeel. It consists of a headpiece A" and a shank with an enlarged outer end A. Throughout its entire length is cored ordrilled ahole A,large enough to freely pass the fuse through One or more grooves are cast or turned in the periphery of the head A of the shank, and also a threaded inset A in the enlarged end of the shank A for the purpose of securing thereto a gas-pipe B. Both of these points in construction will be referred to later on. A pin or set-screw C is inserted, as shown, in the large end of the shank A. Also a slight annular depression His made inthe body of the shank close to the head A.

The wedges E D are cylindrical, with their long faces serrated, that they may more readily engage the walls of the drilled hole.. The extreme points of the wedges, as shown at G G, are dubbed off, as are also the heels of the serrated faces F F', that the wedges may the more easily find and keep their positions in the drilled hole. The holes through the Wedges, whereby they are held in position on the shank A, are eccentric as yto the periphery, the said holes being sufficiently large to allow the head of the shank A to pass through them without interfering with the springs D" D",

'which are permanently attached'in the re- D is then put in place, as shown, andthe pin C driven or screwed into the shank. A Wire L(see Fig. 2) may be hooked into the eyepivot D, and the tamp is ready for use.

In holes of any depth or when located overhead a suitable piece of gas-pipe, as shown at K, Fig. h5, is used for putting the tamp in place and for setting up the wedges. The end of the gas-pipe is slotted, as at K', that it may pass the pin G. At a proper distance p from the end is the recess K, which is used for engaging the pin C, so that the tamp may be putin position Without disturbing the primary position of the Wedges. xShould. the gas-pipe be called into use, the Wire L is also attached, so that if through any cause the iring of the shot fail the wedge D may be pulled into its primary position and the'tamp loosened from ,its bite, and by the aid of the gaspipe K, which is madev to engage the pin C,

the tamp may be safely removed. The gaspipe is also used to force the wedges to engage the walls of the drilled hole, the pin C escaping contact with the pipe through the slot K'. I

Should the drilled hole be in rook that a1- lowed the inflow of water, the-charge of explosive is preparedin the usual manner, the

fuse is passed through the fuse-hole A of the tamp, and the open end of the charge .made

to incase the grooved portion A of lthehead IOO A", to which it is rmly'xed by a cord wrapped around it and tied, it being seen that the cord will sinkin'to the grooves A'", thus practically uniting the charge and the tamp in asuciently `fixed manner.-The

I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters l. In a mechanic "l tam'p a standard sbstantially as` shown, on vWhich is placed? two cylindrical Wedges Withj "serratedv faces, the said wedges being held iiiplacefonthe,stands ard by' springsand operated, substantially as shown, and for the purposes specified.

2. In a mechanical tamp the standard A, Wedges D, E, springs D", D\, pin O, in combination with the gas-,pipes B, K, and wire L, substantially as shownand for the purposes specified.'

the head A, in combination with the shank A, threaded inset A-', gas-pipe B, and cylindrical serrated wedges D, E, substantially as described and'for the purposes specified.

In testimony `whereof I have axed my signature in presence of two witnesses. WALTER R. CRANE. Witnesses: c.

. ROY S. FILKIN, v

WILLIS K. FoLKs.'

'25, 3. In a mechanical ta'mp', the groove A'" of 

